The South. The early 1940s. Lights up on a small-town train
depot. There's a bench, a rack of magazines and not much more. A
CLERK, a middle-aged white woman with a plain, round face, sits
behind the ticket window. She's reading a magazine and drinking
from a bottle of soda. A radio plays softly—popular music of the
period. The CLERK occasionally fans herself with the magazine. The
air outside is hot and still, but inside the depot there's a
ceiling fan running to ease the sweltering heat.

The screen door to the depot squeaks open and MAN CODY, a
ninety-eight-year-old black man, enters, carrying a child's
suitcase. His body is thin but firm under his brown suit, pale blue
shirt and tie. He wears a hat. His black shoes are powdered with
dust. His skin is like beautiful brown leather and his eyes have
grown milky-blue with the years. He puts his suitcase down, removes
his hat and mops his brow with his handkerchief. He opens a small
purse and looks inside, then closes it. He picks up his suitcase
and crosses to the ticket window. His gait is slow but sure. He
stands at the ticket window, waiting to be acknowledged. The CLERK
does not see him.

Man Cody

'Scuse me.

Clerk

Can I help you?

Man Cody

When's the train run?

Clerk

Well, where to?

Man Cody

'Way from here. My wife died. Just come straight here from her
grave.

Got it on my shoes.

[He looks at his dusty shoes.]

I don't need to be here no more.

Clerk

Where do you want to go?

Man Cody

When my boy . . . he's way grown now for sure . . . when he
left here, he went that way.

[He points.]

Clerk

That way's east.

Man Cody

Right.

Clerk

Do you know where your boy is now?

Man Cody

I seen him go east. He like it out that way, guess. He ain't
come back since.

[He looks toward the door.]

When's the train run east?

Clerk

Now I can't get you east right off. You have to go north and
then you have to make a change.

Man Cody

That's the way he went.

[He points.]

Clerk

That's fine, but you have to go north first if you want to go
east. The trains from here don't go east.

Man Cody

The train don't run east?

Clerk

No. The trains from here go north and south, you see?

Man Cody

North and south?

Clerk

Right.

Man Cody

Up and down.

Clerk

Yes. You can get east, but you have to go north to Point Lee
first.

Man Cody

Point Lee.

Clerk

It's the fourth stop from here, going north. You change
there.

[Pause. MAN CODY thinks.]

That's what you want if you want to go east.

Man Cody

You say the train stops three times 'fore it gets where it's
go'n?

Clerk

It makes stops in Still Creek, Lowe, Bruel and then Point Lee.
You change trains and go east from Point Lee, hear? You want a seat
to Point Lee?

Man Cody

He went that way. What time's the next train to Point
Lee?

Clerk

It's due in here at 5:10.

Man Cody

How long from now is that?

Clerk

Half an hour. You want a seat?

Man Cody

If north gets me east, guess I do.

[The CLERK prepares the ticket. MAN CODY gets his purse and
takes out two one-dollar bills.]

How much?

Clerk

That's three, please.

[MAN CODY takes out another dollar and gives the CLERK the
three dollars. MAN CODY counts the few dollars he has left. The
CLERK gives him the ticket.]

Man Cody

[Looking at the ticket] This say I got a seat?

Clerk

[Sincerely] You can't read?

Man Cody

No. My wife could some, though. That was a lot next to me.
Just come from the grave . . .

[Pause. He looks at the ticket.]

Clerk

That's your seat to Point Lee. Give it to the man on the train
and he...

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